“We certainly didn’t plan to find the Juneau on St. Patrick’s Day. The variables of these searches are just too great,” said Robert Kraft, director of Allen's subsea operations. “But finding the USS Juneau on Saint Patrick’s Day is an unexpected coincidence to the Sullivan brothers and all the service members who were lost 76 years ago.”

The USS Juneau was hit by a Japanese torpedo during the naval Battle of Guadalcanal on Nov. 13, 1942. The Sullivans – George, Francis, Madison, Joseph and Albert – were among the nearly 700 sailors who ultimately died in the attack. According to several reports, approximately 115 of the ship's crew survived the explosion, but only 10 were rescued from the water eight days later. The Navy delayed the search effort for nearly a week because there was a high risk of further Japanese attacks.

According to information posted on Allen's website, wreckage of the Atlanta-class light cruiser was found about three miles below the surface, resting on the ocean floor off the coast of the Solomon Islands.

The expedition crew of Research Vessel (R/V) Petrel first identified the ship in its side scan sonar on Saturday, using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV). After analyzing the sonar data, the Petrel crew deployed its remotely-operated underwater vehicle (ROV) on Sunday to verify the wreckage through its video capabilities.

The five Sullivan siblings enlisted in January 1942 with the stipulation that they serve together. Their deaths are believed to be the greatest military loss by a single family in U.S. history.